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Five favorite SUVs from 2013

December 30, 2013

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG was one of Autoweek's favorite SUVs of the year. Photo by Merceded

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are a big part of our life here in the northern states, and we take them seriously when they come through our office. Are they an enthusiast's dream? Depends on the enthusiast. Can they be fun to drive? Absolutely. Here are five of our favorites from 2013.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux

What more needs to be said than "406 lb-ft of torque"? Obviously it's the diesel that does it, but with VW's habit of making fun-to-drive vehicles, the rest of the Touareg is impressive, too.

“About that gearbox: It's interesting VW went with so many ratios, given that the diesel has such a large torque reserve -- plenty to make a six-speed automatic perfectly acceptable. As it stands, though, the eight-speed conspires to keep the slow-revving (comparatively speaking) engine in a narrow sweet spot nearly all the time. Accelerate, hit 1,800 rpm, shift, drop to 1,200, repeat. The thrust feels absolute. But then, I like diesels.” - Digital editor Andrew Stoy

If 406 lb-ft of torque isn't good enough, the GL63 trumps it easily. The 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 makes 550 hp and 560 pounds of twist. Sure, it'll set you back more than 100 grand, but that's the price you pay for living the high life. That and the fuel cost at 12 mpg.

"Yes, it's thirsty, ridiculously expensive and completely unnecessary, but I have a difficult time thinking of a better way to shuttle seven passengers this side of a private jet." - Digital editor Andrew Stoy

Acura's “Shawd” is one of the best all-wheel-drive systems on the market. Besides the usual features, the central display shows the driver how hard each tire is working. Turning off the traction control in a snowy parking lot is the nearest you can get to nirvana for about five months in the winter states.

"Honda's V6 remains one of the smoothest powerplants in the business, and during my mostly around-town driving it also returned exceptional fuel efficiency. I didn't have it for long enough to get a true calculated rating, but the trip computer was showing as much as 28 mpg, which is impressive for an AWD three-row crossover." - Editor Wes Raynal

The i3 isn't a traditional SUV, but with its hybrid powerplant, room for cargo and upright driving position, it has all the hallmarks. The smallish BMW will go on sale in the second quarter of 2014, for about $41,000. The range extender version will come in at about $45,000.

"Economy was indeed a focus in the i3, but the most important thing is that it hasn't lost its entire family lineage. This is not the Ultimate Driving Machine, but it certainly is a machine that is very fun to drive." - Tech contributor Tim Stevens